Clinics & Services

All of our clinics are by appointment but you can contact us at any time to find out more information about each clinic.

Child Health

Developmental and immunisation clinics are held jointly by a doctor and the health visitors.

Flu Clinics

If you are over 65 or have a chronic disease that affects your heart or lungs or if you are diabetic, you are entitled to a flu jab. Immunisations begin in October, please contact us to make an appointment. Pneumococcal vaccinations are also available. (See immunisations tab at top of this page for more information or see Quick Links.)

Minor Surgery

Minor operations can be done in our treatment room. Please discuss this with your doctor who will arrange for you to be given an appointment.

Asthma, COPD, Diabetes, Hypertension and Coronary Heart Disease

These clinics are held by appointment and are run jointly by our Health care assistants, nurses and doctors oversee them. You will receive a general check-up, a medication review and given the opportunity to ask any questions that you may have. We aim to do these around the time of your birthday. (See relevant tabs at top of this page.)

Travel Clinic

Please contact the surgery at least six weeks before you are due to travel. The practice nurse will advise on any immunisations required. A fee may be payable but you will be advised of this when you see the nurse. The surgery is an authorised Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre. Please fill in the travel questionnaire and bring it to your appointment. (use separate tab "Travel Vaccinations" at top of this page).

Cervical Screening

All females between the ages of 25 - 64 will be sent an invitation to attend for cervical screening. These clinics are run by the practice nurses and a GP. ( See screening in Wales link for more information.)

Smoking Cessation

The clinic is run by the All Wales Smoking Cessation Service and gives advice and support to patients who want to give up smoking. Appointments can be made at by telephoning 0800 085 2219.

Family Planning and Emergency Contraception

We provide a comprehensive contraceptive service including coil fitting, Implanon and emergency contraception. To access this service please make a routine appointment with any GP during normal surgery hours. If you require a repeat prescription for contraception please make an appointment with the practice nurse. See contraception and Smears tab (at top of this page) for more information.

Blood Pressure Checks

See under blood pressure and Heart disease tab (at top of this page) for more information.

Asthma & COPD

All patients with Asthma & COPD are elligbile for an annual review. We aim to provide this around the time of your birthday.

Our Asthma trained nurse is Margaret Harries.

If you are able to fill in and submit the "Asthma Annual Review form" below this will enable us to contact you to make an appointment for you:

Alternatively phone our reception staff. If your asthma is well controlled you have the option of a "Asthma telephone consultation" with Nurse Harries. If it is not well controlled or you have questions you can be booked into our asthma clinic.

If you have more questions or wish to check your inhaler technique click here: AsthmaUKCYMRU

If your symptoms are deteriorating, please make an appointment to see a GP.

Blood Pressure

If you wish to have your blood pressure checked, please book a 10 minute appointment with the health care assistants.

High blood pressure is one of several ‘risk factors’ that can increase your chance of developing heart disease, a stroke or other serious health problems. Initial treatment includes a change in lifestyle risk factors where they can be improved; losing weight if you are overweight, taking regular physical activity, eating a healthy diet and reducing your alcohol, salt and caffeine intake. Life-long medication may be needed to lower your blood pressure.

If a GP or Nurse has recently found your blood pressure to be raised and has asked for it to be rechecked, please book an appointment with one of the health care assistants so they have time to address any questions around lifestyle change that you may have.

Machines are available from local pharmacies (or online), to measure your blood pressure at home. (On your upper arm is best, not around the wrist.) We aim for readings less than 130/80mmHg on home readings.

If your blood pressure is persistently high when in surgery and/or on home readings then we will recommend you wear a blood pressure monitor for 24hrs. If the 24hr readings confirm high blood pressure then you will need to make a 20min appointment with our Healthcare assistant.

At this appointment you will need to bring a urine specimen. Blood tests and an ECG will be taken. Your GP will use this information to calculate your risk of developing health problems due to your blood pressure within the next 10 years. This will help them to decide if you require medication to lower your blood pressure and/or cholesterol levels.

High blood pressure/Hypertension

If you are already taking medication to control your blood pressure we need to monitor your condition on an annual basis. This is to ensure that your blood pressure remains at an acceptable level (blood pressure tends to rise naturally as we age) and review your medication. We will also reinforce any lifestyle changes that may benefit you and perform some blood tests to ensure that your kidneys are working effectively. Due to the blood tests needed, we usually offer these appointments in the morning clinics only. Our health care assistants can see you for these annual checks and we aim to see people around the time of their birthdays.

Please also bring in a fresh urine sample to this appointment.

Please tell the receptionists if you require a Hypertension check so that they can allocate the right amount of time.

If your blood pressure is not well controlled on your current medication, you will be asked to see Nurse Lilyma Thapa. She will discuss further treatment options with you as well as give advice on lifestyle factors, arrange for any medication needed and arrange to review you if necessary.

Heart Disease or Stroke

If you have ever had a heart attack or been diagnosed with a heart problem, including angina or valve problems or if you have ever had a stroke then please book into the high blood pressure/Hypertension clinic as above. We aim to do this around the time of your birthday.

We ask you to bring a fresh urine sample with you to this clinic. We may ask you to have an ECG if you have not had one recently.

At Church Surgery we provide a comprehensive contraceptive service including coil fitting, Implant and emergency contraception. To access this service please make an appointment to discuss options with any GP or Nurse Practitioner. For emergency contraception make a 'same day appointment' with a GP or Nurse Practitioner or discuss with a Pharmacist locally.

If you require a repeat prescription for contraception please make an appointment with the practice nurse

Timing of Coils, Implants and Injections:

Coil or implant insertion - it is important that you are not pregnant when you attend. Please ensure you are using reliable contraception or abstaining from sex after your last period.

Coil removal or coil change please do not have unprotected sex in the week prior to removal or change.

Coil or Implant beyond removal date - assume it will not work and use other contraception and book an appointment with a GP or nurse practitioner to discuss future options. If you know that you wish to have another coil or implant sited then you can book directly into the next contraception clinic in Church Surgery or with the local family planning clinic.

Injections need to be given every 13 weeks, they can be given early if needed.

Diabetes

Annual review

If you have either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes we need to see you at least annually at the surgery for a diabetes clinic. We aim to make this annual review around the time of your birthday from April 2017 onwards.

Please make an initial appointment called a Step 1 diabetes appointment(20mins) with our Health care assistants, Helen for a blood test and basic measurements. We also need to send a fresh specimen of urine, so please bring this with you to this appointment if you can.

At your annual review half hour appointment, the first part will be with Helen who will check your feet to ensure that the sensation is intact and you have a good blood supply to them. We can refer you on to a foot specialist (podiatrist) if any issues are uncovered.

After this, you will have a 10 minute review with Anna Reijuterman our Advanced Nurse Practitioner who is a specialist in diabetes. Anna will look at your results and will decide if we need to do more to help you manage your condition. She will explain the results of the tests and discuss what may be done to improve your diabetes control and reduce the risk of developing future diabetic complications. Anna will also check to ensure that you are having your annual retinopathy checks (checks to the vessels in the back of your eyes). She will explain when to make your next appointment.

Review usually 6 months after the annual review but can be earlier (Interim follow up)

Please book in with Helen one of our Health care assistants for a Step 1 diabetes appointment (20mins).If your blood sugar result or blood pressure is high or if you have any concerns, you will be offered a review with Anna our Nurse Practitioner.

Ear Syringing/Ear Care

If there is a build up of wax in your ear(s) please read the following self-help guide as you may not need an appointment.

What is ear wax?

Ear wax is normal and is produced to form a protective coating over the skin in the ear canal. Ears are normally self-cleaning – the movement of your jaw whilst eating and talking helps to move the wax along the canal where it will usually fall out naturally without you noticing.

Why is my ear blocked with wax?

The amount of ear wax produced varies from person to person; some people produce excessive amounts which can lead to a blockage in the ear canal.

You are more likely to develop a blockage of wax in the canal if you:

use cotton ear buds to clean the ear as this pushes the wax deeper into the canal

wear a hearing aid, ear plugs or use in-ear speakers for i-pods or similar - as these can all interfere with the natural process of wax expulsion

have abnormally narrow ear canals

have a particularly hairy ear canal

are elderly – because the ear wax you produce is drier and harder

have a dry skin problem such as eczema or psoriasis

Advice to help you manage and prevent ear wax blockage

Ear wax only becomes a problem if it causes deafness, discomfort or if your Health professional requires a clear view or your ear drum.

If you experience any of the following, you should seek advice from your GP or Nurse Practitioner:

pain

discharge or bleeding from the ear

sudden deafness or buzzing

foreign bodies in the ear

dizziness

If you are not experiencing any of the above, we recommend that you manage the blockage as following

Olive Oil Drops

The following needs to be done 2 - 3 times daily for 14 days.

Lie on your side with the affected ear uppermost

Pull the outer ear gently backwards and upwards to straighten the ear canal

Put 2-3 drops of olive oil into the affected ear(s) and gently massage just in front of the ear

Stay laying on your side to allow the wax to soak in for around 10 mins

Afterwards, wipe away any excess oil but do not plug your ear with cotton wool as this simply absorbs the oil

Your hearing problem may initially worsen after first starting to use the olive oil drops; this is why we advise you to concentrate on treating one ear at a time if both ears are blocked with wax.

In most cases, after 14 days, the wax will have softened sufficiently to encourage the wax to come out without further intervention. However, if you feel your hearing is still impaired, please make an appointment with a Health care assistant for further advice and management.

Alternatively, there are now over-the-counter kits available from pharmacies. These contain a wax softener which you use for 3-4 days and a small bulb syringe or syringe with soft tip to enable you to remove the wax from your ear canals yourself. These kits are available from amazon or local pharmacies. We do not advise you the type of preparation to soften wax before having your ears syringed as longer term use can cause irritation and soreness to your ears.

Ear Syringing – is only usually considered if the above recommendations have proved to be unsuccessful. Ear wax needs to be softened as above for at least 7 days before attempting to syringe. Although the risks are low and our Healthcare Assistants and nurses are specially trained to perform this procedure, there is still a small chance (thought to be around 1 in 1000) of complications occurring - such as a perforated ear drum, middle ear infection, external canal infection or causing ringing in the ear (tinnitus).

If your ears are regularly becoming blocked with wax, after clearing the blockage we will usually suggest you use olive oil drops as above around once per week to keep the wax soft and encourage the natural process of wax expulsion.

Vaccines (Immunisations)

Here you will find a comprehensive checklist of the vaccines that are routinely offered to everyone in the UK for free on the NHS, (children and adults) and the ages at which they should ideally be given.

Childrens Vaccines - these are done by our Health visitors in our surgery. Parents are sent a letter when their child is due for their next injection. We advise that all children should have the complete course of recommended immunisations. If your child is not immunised, then as well as a risk to themselves, they may pose a risk to other children as they may be a carrier for these diseases. Try to make sure you or your child have vaccinations delivered on time to ensure protection. If you're going to be away from the GP surgery when a vaccination is due, talk to your Health visitor. It may be possible to arrange for vaccination at a different location.

Adult Vaccines - These are done by our practice nurse team and some vaccinations can be given by our Health Care Assistants.

Travel Vaccinations

Travel Health Questionnaire

To help us offer the appropriate advice, please fill out the Travel Questionnaire before coming to see the nurse (link below.) Then please make an appointment with Nurse Lilyma Thapa or Nurse Margaret Harries.

It is important to make this initial appointment as early as possible - at least 6 weeks before you travel - as a second appointment will be required with the practice nurse to actually receive some of the vaccinations. Some vaccines have to be ordered as they may not be a stock vaccine. Your second appointment needs to be at least 2 weeks before you travel to allow the vaccines to work.

Costs: Some travel vaccines are ordered on a private prescription and these incur a charge over and above the normal prescription charge. This is because not all travel vaccinations are included in the services provided by the NHS. Free vaccines on the NHS include the hepatitis A vaccine, the typhoid vaccine and the cholera vaccine. Other travel vaccines, such as yellow fever vaccination, are only available privately.

Please also look at further information about countries and vaccinations required on the links below: